Together with many other international companies Skanska has taken several actions to urge for a strong, global deal at United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 15. The meeting is being held in Copenhagen December 7-18.
Most important is that Skanska, as the only Scandinavian company and only company from the construction sector, contributed to the development and is a co-signer of The Copenhagen Communiqué.
In the Communiqué, more than 850 international business leaders say: "These are difficult and challenging times for the international business community and a poor outcome from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen will only make them more so, by creating uncertainty and undermining confidence." The companies finish by stating: "The more ambitious the framework, the more business will deliver" but stress that "delay is not an option".
Business is the only part of Civil Society that has the resources and skills to change how the world will look in the future. Governments can help make it easier and move quicker, but most of the work will actually be done by a business of some kind.
"This is a crucial issue for business, the world needs to see more action and at a faster pace. A strong international framework is needed so that business can do what it does best planning for the long-term and deploying our resources efficiently. When frameworks are not well defined, companies will probably avoid taking action." says Johan Karlström, President and CEO of Skanska.
In conjunction with COP 15 in Copenhagen Skanska, together with its partner Norrporten, will host a meeting for business groups urging for a global deal. Skanska and Norrporten are supporting the meeting with its modern office facilities "Neroporten" situated between the airport and the city center of Copenhagen.
Buildings currently account for 40 percent of global carbon emissions during their lifetime, which is more than, for example, the automotive industry. Skanska has already the solutions and the ambition to lead the construction sector in lowering their impact on the climate.
"Skanska is committed to playing its part in helping society avoid dangerous climate change, we know that we can be an important part of the solution", says Johan Karlström.
As a part of the effort to lower the impact from construction Skanska has established a unit for Green Business that will work to enhance the green offering for Skanska's customers. This may include solutions and agreements regarding continuous upgrades to ensure that a property remains as energy efficient as possible, even years after it were constructed or renovated.
"Climate Change needs to be continuously discussed and the benefits of energy efficient solutions highlighted. We encourage customers to a dialogue on how we can reduce the dangerous climate change together," says Cecilia Fasth, Green Business Officer (GBO) and head of Skanska Green Business.
The full text of the Copenhagen Communiqué, along with the complete list of supporting companies, is available at: www.copenhagencommunique.com.
Source: Skanska
